Millennials are the group of people that make up the newer generation of the world's population and they are constantly surrounded by technology, as well as known for having different values than the previous generations. Marketers have to adapt to newer ways to appeal to millennials and secure their loyalty since millennials are always on the lookout for the next best thing and will "trade up for brands that matter, but trade down when brand value is weak", it poses a challenge for the marketing departments of companies (Fromm, J. & Parks, J.). The airline industry is one of the fastest growing sectors as "the total number of people flying on U.S. airlines will increase from 745.5 million in 2014 and grow to 1.15 billion in 2034," which shows that airlines have a wider population to market to, and will need to improve their marketing strategies to differentiate from competitors (Power). The financial sector also has a difficult time reaching out to millennials because "millennials are hesitant to take financial risks," as well as downing in college debt, while not making as much money as previous generations (Fromm, J. & Parks, J.). By looking into the marketing strategies, specifically using social media platforms, of the two industries, an understanding can be gathered of what millennials are attracted to. Along with looking at the marketing strategies of financial and airline industries, I looked at the perspectives of these industries in different countries, which is important to look at because then we can see if the values of millennials vary across different cultures. Countries chosen for research to further examine their cultural differences in terms of marketing practices are the United States and England. The main form of marketing that was used for this research were social media accounts of the companies, and seeing how they used the social networking platforms to reach and engage with their consumers, especially with those of the millennial generation. The companies chosen for further research for the airline industry from England were British Airways, EasyJet, and Virgin Atlantic, while for the U.S. Delta Airlines, Inc., Southwest Airlines, and United were chosen. The companies chosen to further examine within the finance industry from England include Barclay's, HSBC, and Lloyd's Bank, while for the U.S. the banks selected were Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, and Wells Fargo. The companies for this study were chosen because they are among the top five in their industry, as well as all companies that I have had previous interactions with. It was meant to see what the companies at the top of the industry were doing that set them apart from their competitors in terms of social media marketing content and see if there were features they lacked that could be changed or improvements they could make. A survey was also conducted to get a better idea of the attitudes and behaviors of millennials when it comes to the airline and finance industries, as well as towards social media marketing practices.

This thesis, through a thorough literature and content review, discusses the various ways that data analytics and supply chain management intersect. Both fields have been around for a while, but are incredibly aided by the information age we live in today. Today's ERP systems and supply chain software packages use advanced analytic techniques and algorithms to optimize every aspect of supply chain management. This includes aspects like inventory optimization, portfolio management, network design, production scheduling, fleet planning, supplier evaluation, and others. The benefit of these analytic techniques is a reduction in costs as well as an improvement in overall supply chain performance and efficiencies. The paper begins with a short historical context on business analytics and optimization then moves on to the impact and application of analytics in the supply chain today. Following that the implications of big data are explored, along with how a company might begin to take advantage of big data and what challenges a firm may face along the way. The current tools used by supply chain professionals are then discussed. There is then a section on the most up and coming technologies; the internet of things, blockchain technology, additive manufacturing (3D printing), and machine learning; and how those technologies may further enable the successful use of analytics to improve supply chain management. Companies that do take advantage of analytics in their supply chains are sure to maintain a competitive advantage over those firms that fail to do so.